Tobacco harvester with automatic looping mechanism



TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH AUTOMATIC LOOPING MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1956 W. E. DAVIS Sept. 27, 1960 INVENTOR. WILLIAM EDWIN DAV/S 4 Sheets-Sheet l r 58E 32 m A T TORNE YS Sept. 27, 1960 w. E. DAVIS 2,

TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH AUTOMATIC LOOPING MECHANISM Filed June 18. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM EDWIN DAV/S A TJQRNEYS Sept. 27, 1960 w. E. DAVIS 2,954,132

TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH AUTOMATIC LDOPING MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

WILL/AM EDWIN DA VIS ,VATTORNEYS W. E. DAVIS Sept. 27, 1960 TOBACCO HARVESTER WITH AUTOMATIC LOOPII IG MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

WILL I'AM EDWIN DAV/5 A TTORNEYS TOBACCO HARVESTER wrm AUTOMATIC LOOPING MECHANISM William Edwin Davis, Seven Springs, NC. Filed June 18, 1956, Ser. No. 592,012 14 Claims. 01. 214-55 The present invention concerns tobacco harvesters and relates to automatic harvesting machines comprising looper mechanisms for tying the hands of tobacco and draping them on drying sticks ready for storing and drying in a drying barn. 1

It is an object of the invention to provide automatic means for grasping and tying hands of tobacco in a simple figure-8 stitch.

It is an object of the invention to provide automatic means for tying hands of tobacco with a double wrap to provide adequate security where necessary.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simplified looping mechanism for the tying of hands of tobacco in sequence so as to minimize the handling thereof.

It is an object of the invention to provide means whereby a single primer may harvest leaves from adjacent rows of tobacco simultaneously.

It is an object of the invention to provide alternate means whereby the initially harvested tobacco may be placed in spring pressed clips for conveying to a position above a raised platform and thereafter to be automatically released, looped and conveyed to -a position straddling a drying stick.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel looping mechanism for a tobacco harvester in which the bundles are held While a cord is stitched therearound in alternate directions on successive bundles.

It is an object ofythe invention to provide a tobacco harvester comprising a frame having wheels supporting said frame, and upwardly extending conveyor chains carried by said frame, drive means for actuating said chains, a raised platform secured to the top portion of said frame high enough to clear tobacco plants without breaking the stalks thereof, the said chains extending upwardly above said platform from 'therebelow and comprising links for carrying bundled hands of tobacco leaves supported thereon on alternate sides by means of a tyingcord linked over the chain, a plurality of seats for leaf pickers located on the lower part of said frame, said frame comprising means adjustably suspending said seats from said frame in back of said chains, a supply of tobacco sticks carried by said frame closely adjacent each said chain and positioned beneath its respective chain to receive draped bundled hands of tobacco therefrom tied by said cord, each said conveyor chain being operable to convey bundles of tobacco leaves from a point within easy reach of at least one of said seats to a position overlying a stick of said supply of sticks and tying cord looping means carried by said frame and positioned forward of and adjacent said seats. for tying bundled hands of tobacco leaves and draping them in depending position on said chains.

Reference is made to U.S. Patent Nos. 2,715,968 and 2,786,585 granted to me jointly with others for related subject matter and the harvester structure as a whole.

Othe'r objec'ts of-the invention will appear from the description below.

In the drawings,

like numerals refer to likeparts throughout.

Figure 1 is a schematic elevation of the principal parts of one form of the invention assembled together.

FigureZ is a plan view of theform of Figure 1 with very slight modification in detail but retaining the structure of Figure 1 in principle and showing additional members which could not be clearly depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation of one form of looper assembly according to the invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of part of the looping mechanism of Figure 3.

(Figure 5 is a cabinet projection of one form of tobacco grasping and holding means applicable for holding bunched stems of tobacco for looping by the mechanism of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is afragmentary plan view of the modified form of Figure 5.

modified form of the invention incorporating spring looping mechanism Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation showing one method of inserting bundles of tobacco in the device of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation of another method of inserting bundles of tobacco in the device of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a schematic showing of one form of loop for tying a bundle of tobacco which may be performed by the device of Figure 3.

Figure '10 is a schematic showing of a series of chain stitches incorporating the loop of Figure 9.

Figure 1 1 is a schematic showing of another form of stitch for looping tobacco with the device of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a chain stitch showing a sequential operation utilizing the stitch of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pressed clips in combination with the of Figures \1 through 6.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary elevation of a detail of Figure 13.

In Figure 1 an adjustable frame member 10 carries a leaf pickers seat 11 positioned close to the ground and adjustable both along the frame member 10 and also in height, if desired. A pair of foot rests 12 are provided. Mounted on a raised part of frame 10 is a tobacco stick carrier 13 made up of a framework for holding stacked sticks 14 in position to receive looped bundles 15 of tobacco in draped depending position on alternate sides thereof as discussed in the applications to be referred to subsequently. The sticks v14 are held in position by straps 16. A conveyor chain 17 runs above the sticks 14 by means of suitable sprockets 18, pulley 19, and a suitable slide 20 which may be channel-shaped, or may be provided with other guide means sufiiciently shallow not to interfere with the conveying function of chain 177 A housing 21 supports guide surface 20, and is attached at its upper end to stick carrier 13. At its lower end it is supported by a member 22 adjustably attached to frame 10 and providing a pivot for pulley 19. Member 22 provides a pivoted support 23 for divider flap 24-.

A looper mechanism 25 is supported on frame member 10 by a tubular yoke 26 bolted to frame It at 27, having suitable lugs, and comprises a frame 28 having suitable bearings 29, 30 and 31 as well as guide members 32. Bearings 29 and 30 support a shaft 33 which carries a multiple segment gear 34. Multiple gear 34 is preferably a single casting comprising a sprocket 35, a segment gear 36, a spacing portion 37, a second segment gear 38, an elliptical cam track 39 and a bevel gear 40. Cam track 39 contains a follower 41 connected to bellcrank 42. Between segment gears 36 and 3 8 a bevel pinion 43 is mounted on a hollow stub shaft 44 rotatable in bearing 31. Bevel pinion 43 has a shank 45 with flattened portions 46 on both sides thereof which are engaged by peripheral flange portions 47 on segmented gears 36 and 38 to hold pinion 43 against rotation when it is not engaged by one of the toothed segments of gears 36 or 38.

A tubular crank member 48 extends downward from shank 45. A cord supply 49 is mounted on the harvester and has a tensioning device 58. The tying cord 51 is held by the tensioni-ng device 50 and runs through a guide tube 52, the center of pinion 43, stub shaft 45 and tubular crank 48.

Guide members 32 support and slidably mount tobacco bundle grasping arms 53 and 54 which are tapered as at 55 and mount rollers 56 which are pivoted .at 57 on bellcranks 58. Bellcranks 58 are pivoted at 59 on arms 53 and 54 and are biased by springs 60 so that rollers 56 are urged toward each other.

Arm 53 mounts clutch actuating arm 61 at 62 for pivotal movement in response to the action of a tobacco bundle which is inserted into the device for looping. A link 63 is slidably supported on grasping arm 53 by a lug 64 and connects actuating arm '61 to trip tab 65 on rod 66. Link 63 is biased by spring 67 so that arm 61 is urged toward rollers 56. The grasping arms 53 and 54 are firmly held in their relative positions shown in the several figures by U-shaped member 68 which permits the passage of bundles of tobacco. Member 68 is provided with holes 69 so that the grasping assembly 70 can be reciprocated by the action of bellcrank 42 through its downwardly extending arm shown in Figure 1 and its companion lever 80 on the opposite side mounted on a shaft 81 as shown in plan in Figure 2. The rollers 56 may be replaced by plates 71 pivoted as at 72, if desired.

Lever 66 is mounted on frame '28 and biased counterclockwise by spring 73. An arm 74 on lever 66 engages clutch pawl 75 on clutch 7 6 which is mounted on a shaft 77 journaled in suitable bearings in frame 28. The shaft 77 mounts a sprocket wheel which drives chain 78, driving sprocket 35 and shaft 33 at a 2:1 step-down ratio. The shaft 77 and chain '78 are intermittently driven by a pulley 79 and belt drive from a constantly running power supply shaft 82 or the motor of the machine. Clutch 76 is constantly integral with pulley 79 and is of well known construction which provides a single revolution means for engaging and disengaging the shaft 77 from the pulley 7.9 when pawl 75 is released by the trip arm on lever 66 and biased by spring 73 as shown in Figure 5. Release of pawl 75 causes clutch 76 to engage constantly turning pulley 79 and so drive the shaft 77 and chain 78. After one revolution pawl 75 is again engaged by the trip arm on lever 66 because of the action of spring '73.

Bevel gear 40 meshes with a bevel gear 83 mounted on one end of shaft 84, the other end of which has a speed reducing encased worm drive 85 which actuates shaft 86 and sprocket 87 for driving conveyor chain 17. Shaft 33 has a crank 88 mounted on one end thereof which operates divider or deflector flap 24 through link 89, crank 90, shaft 91, crank 92, connecting rod 93 and crank arm 94 on support rod 95 mounted on pivoted support 23.

Figure 9 shows the cord 51 in a single simple-loop 96 around a hand of tobacco 97 as a first step in producing the figure-8 stitch 98 shown in Figure 10.

Figure 11 shows cord 51 in a double loop 99 around hand 97 as a first step in producing the double wrap figure 8 stitch 100 of Figure 12.

Figure 13 shows the combination of the looper device of the previous figures of the drawing with the automatic clip release feature of my copending US. application Serial No. 503,062, filed April 22, 1955, for Tobacco Harvester with Automatic Release; Serial No. 441,881, filed July 8, 1954, for Tobacco Harvester now US. Patent No. 2,786,585; and Serial No. 355,791, filed May 18, 1953, for Tobacco Harvester and now US. Patent No. 2,715,968.

The tubular frame member is mounted on a tobacco harvester frame below raised platform 1.01. The harvester, frame, not here shown, supports curved track member 182 on which link conveyor chain 103 rides, driven by sprocket 104 on power takeoff shaft 105 Spring pressed clips 106 are mounted on and carried by the chain .103 in the same manner .asdescribed .in. my application Serial No. 503,062, and are so positioned as to be coordinated with the actuation of the looper subassembly 70 so as to be positioned oppositely thereof, as shown in Figure 13, with a hand of tobacco at the time of actuation of the sub-assembly 7 0.

Figure 14 shows an enlarged fragmentary view of the clip assembly 106 and the looper .sub assernbly -70 in position to grasp of tobacco to be looped. Rod 187 corresponds to rod 66 and carries arm 74 acting on clutch pawl '25. Rod 107 is journaledin suitable bearings 108 and carries an elongatearrn 109 .vtghich is welded thereto. As the hand of tobacco 110 moves rod 109, clutch 76 is tripped and sub-assembly 70.moves out and grasps the hand 110, and thereafter is retracted for looping action, as described below.

The operation of the looper mechanism shown in Figures 16 is as follows: A primer sitting in adjustable seat ll, picks tobacco leaves as the harvester moves slowly along the rows of tobacco and forms hands of tobacco comprising two to five leaves held as a bunch 97 with their stems up. The stems are inserted between grasping arms 53 and 54 either as shown in Figure 7 or Figure 8. i V

In Figure 7 the stems are inserted with the same hand by which the leaves are picked and in Figure 8 the bundle has been shifted to the other hand. i

As the bunched stems 97 pass between rollers 56, the rollers yield under the action of springs 60 and the hunch is pressed against actuating arm Springs 60 are preferably strong enough to perform this function once the bunched stems 97 have passed the dead-center of rollers 56. Actuation of arm 61 trips clutch pawl 75 and single revolution clutch '76 locks pulley 79 toshaft 7-7 which rotates one revolution.

Rotation of shaft 77 drives chain 78, turning sprocket 35 and shaft 33. Shaft 33 rotates segmental gear 38 with cam track 39 thus actuating follower 41 and rocking bellcrank 42 and its companion lever to retract subassembly 70 in guides 32. This action carries the bunched stems 97 held between rollers 56 and arm 61 to a position under tubular crank member 48 which is then rotated one or two revolutions, as desired, by the action of the toothed portion of segmented gear 38 to wrap one or two turns of tying cord 51 around the stems 97. The hand of tobacco with stems 97 up, as shown in Figure 8, is resiliently held by roller 56 and arm 61, but with sub-assembly 70 retracted so that stems 97 are oncircled by the rotation of tubular crank 48, during the tying operation. The primer releases the bundle as soon as arm 61 trips the mechanism and sub-assembly 70 is retracted. Stems 97 are now held by the cord 51 in the manner shown in either Figures 9 and 10 or in Figures 11 and 12, and are draped on conveyor chain 17 from which they depend in more or less free swinging relation, depending upon how much cord is allowed by tension arm 50.

One revolution of shaft 77 causes only a half revolution of shaft 33. Once the loop is made around the stems, bevel gear 43 disengages and flange portion 47 bears against flattened portion 46 of shank 45 and holds it against rotation and therefore the cord 51 and the loop formed thereby is held taut by tubular crank member and tension device 50 until the next cycle. Aftef the cord 51 is looped and shank 55 is held by flange 4 7, the cam track 39 acts to rotate bellcrank in the opposite direction and move sub-assembly 70 out into position to receive another bundle, leaving the looped bundle, of leaves draped over the conveyor chain 17 whenit is held in place by cord 51 forming loop 96 or 99 and conne :ng sections 111. The resilience of spring 67 permits arm 61 to pivot sufliciently at 62 to allow the looped bundle to remain in draped position on chain STZ wheii sub-as- Sernbly 70 is moved out. W a i yeyor chain 17 a desired amountto move the looped bundle out from under tubular crank 48. The 100 bundle is positioned on that side of conveyor chain 17' as is determined by the position of deflector plate 24 which is pivoted back and forth by the action of crank 88, rod 89, crank 90, shaft 91, crank 92, rod 93, crank:

94 and rod 95. As conveyor chain 17 moves, it advances." the draped bundles upward above the raised platform to a position overlying the tobacco sticks 14 which the alternate bundles straddle.

On the next insertion of a bundle in sub-assembly'70, shaft 33 completes the second half. of its revolution: bringing segmental gear 36 into play. Sub-assembly v70 :is retracted withits grasped bundlewhich is positioned under tubular crank member48 for. binding. Bevel gear '43 is released from flange 47 and the teeth on segmental gear 36 rotate the member 48 in the opposite direction to loop the cord 51 around the bundled stems held between rollers 56 and actuating arm 61. This opposite. direction of rotation is important to achieving a tight looping action, as will be seen from inspection of Figures and 12, and the holding action produced by the weight of the depending bundles themselves .as the connecting cord sections 111 are draped over the conveyor chain 17, with alternate bundles hanging downeither .side thereof.

As shaft 33 continues to rotate, the flange 47 on segmental gear 36 holds bevel gear 43, and the conveyor chain 17 with its draped bundles is advanced as shaft 33 turns. Deflector plate 24 is pivoted to the opposite position and assembly 70 is moved out into bundle-receiving position. These cycles are continued until there are enough draped bundles 97 overlying a stick '14 to fill it, when the cord 51 is broken and the one end tied to the full stick. This is possible because of the spacing between sticks provided by automatic advance of the conveyor chain 17 as accomplished by pins 74 of the above' patent, which are spaced at stick length intervals together with the operating structure shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the patent. The original end of cord 51 is tied to the chain 17 to start the first bundle. If de sired, the typing cord may be stiffened by starch, silicates or like hardening agents on the first and last bundles of a stick, if desired and allowed to set. The cord holding these bundles can be determined by the means- "74 of the said patent.

In the operation of Figure 13, the shaft 105 and the sprocket 104 are coordinated with shaft 153 so that the clip assembly 106 with grasped hand 110 is opposite the grasping assembly 70 when the assembly is pushed out in bundle-grasping position. This will require a change in the form of cam track 39 so that assembly 70 is normally retracted instead of normally being projected, as 1n Figure 1. Once the hand 110 is grasped by the assembly 70, in Figure 13, it is looped and conveyed 1n the same manner as described above in connection with the structure of Figures 1-6.

The conveyor chain 17 is so constructed that the cord portions 111 are held thereby without slipping when the bundles 97 are draped thereon. In the event the tension on the cord 51 is so great that a thatching effect results and the cord is held free of the chain, the chain will nevertheless engage the stem portions held in position by the cord and convey the draped bundles upward above the platform to a position straddling sticks 14. The chain may have lugs for this purpose if desired.

While I have described above what are at present believed to be the preferred forms of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and are intended to be included in the appended claims in which generic terms have been employed to include all such variatioiis and equivalentstructutes'.

I claim to have invented:

1. A tobacco harvestercomprising a frame,- upwardly extending conveyor chains carried by said frame, drive means for actuating said chains, a raised platform secured'to the top .portion of said frame high enough tov clear tobacco plants without breaking the stalks thereof,

7 said extending upwardly above said platform'from therebelow, said chains comprising links forcarrying bundled hands of tobacco leaves, a plurality of seats for leaf pickers located on the lower part of said frame, means adjustably suspending said seats from said frame inback of said chains, a supply of tobacco sticks carried by said frame closely adjacent each said chain and positioned beneath its respective chain to receive draped 1 bundled hands of tobacco'therefrom, each said conveyor chain being operable to convey bundles of tobacco leaves from a point within easy reach of at least one of said seats to'a position overlying a stick of said supply of sticks, tying cord looping means carried by said frame and positioned forward of and adjacent said seats for tying bundled hands of tobacco leaves in depending position on ried by said frame adjacent at least one of said seats and mounted for movement to and'from said tying cord looping means to receive and hold said leaf bundles, move them withtheir stems up into looping position and to release looped bundles, said tying cord looping means comprising a tubular crank with a tying cord passing therethrough, tobacco holding means for resiliently holding a bundle of tobacco leaves with the stem positions up,.rne ans to' rotate said crank at least one full revolution in alternate directions, means operable upon the positioning of a bundle of leaves in tying position to initiate the rotation of said tubular crank and means supporting said stick and acting to hold it substantially stationary while it is being filled.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, said tying cord looping means comprising a segmental gear having toothed portions for rotating said tubular crank in alternate directions.

3. A tobacco harvester comprising a frame, upwardly extending conveyor chains carried by said frame, drive means for actuating said chains, a raised platform se-- cured to the top portion of said frame high enough to clear tobacco plants without breaking the stalks thereof, said chains extending upwardly above said platform from .therebelow, said chains comprising links for carrying bundled hands of tobacco leaves, a plurality of seats for leaf pickers located on the lower part of said frame, means adjustably suspending said seats from said frame in back of said chains, a supply of tobacco sticks carried by said frame closely adjacent each said chain and positioned beneath its respective chain to receive draped bundled hands of tobacco therefrom, each said conveyor chain being operable to convey bundles of tobacco leaves from a point within easy reach of at least one of said seats to a position overlying a stick of said supply of sticks and tying cord looping means carried by said frame and positioned forward of and adjacent said seats for tying bundled hands of tobacco leaves in depending position on said chains, said tying cord looping means comprising a tubular crank with a tying cord passing therethrough and means to rotate said crank at least one full revolution in alternate directions, said tying cord looping means also comprising a segmental gear having toothed portions for rotating said tubular crank in alternate directions, said tying cord looping mechanism comprising a pair of grasp ing arms having tobacco bundle holding means mounted thereon for resiliently holding a bundle of tobacco leaves with the stem portions up and trip means for moving said grasping arms to position the grasped bundle of leaves under said tubular crank for the looping thereof.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, a divider flap controlled by said tying cord looping me ns-forjposisides of each said conveyor chain,

4 I11? ombin tion-set fort n cla m ..saidm rank a i g a bevel gear m ing h he oo he ments of said segmental gear and a shank having a flattened portion whereby said tubular crank may be held in fined posi ion when said bevel gear is out of engage ment with said toothed segments.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5, said tying cord looping means comprising means for advancing said conveyor chain a suitable amount during each loo ing,

cycle. I v

' 7. A tobacco harvester comprising a frame, upwardly extending flexible conveyorrneans carried by said frame,

drive means for actuating said conveyor means, a raised platform secured to the top. portion of said frame high enough to clear tobacco plants. without breaking the. stalks thereof, said conveyor means extending upwardly above said platform from therebelow for carrying bundled hands of tobacco leaves, a plurality of seats for leaf pickers located on the lower part of said frame, means adjustably suspending said seats from said frame to the rear of said chains, a supply of tobacco sticks carried by said frame closely adjacent each said conveyor means and positioned therebeneath to receive draped bundled hands of tobacco therefrom, each said conveyor means being operable to convey bundles of tobacco leaves from,

a point within easy reach of at least one of said seats to a position overlying a stick of said supply of stick and tying cord looping means carried by said frame and positioned forward of and adjacent said seats for tying.

bundled hands of tobacco leaves in depending position on said chains, said tying cord looping means comprising a tubular crank with a tying cord passing therethrough and means to rotate said crank at least one full revolution in alternate directions, said tying cord looping means comprising retractable holding means for holding said bundles during the looping operations and constructed and arranged for releasing looped bundles for conveying by said conveyor means, said tying cord looping means comprising a segmental gear having toothedportions for rotating said tubular crankin alternate directions, spring pressed clips mounted on said conveyor means and PUSi? tioned to present bundled hands of tobacco with stems up to said looping means, said tying cord looping mecha-v nism comprising a pair of grasping arrn s having tobacco bundle holding means mounted thereon for receiving a bundle from one of said clips and resiliently holding the bundle of tobacco leaves with the stemportions up and trip means for moving said grasping arms to position the grasped bundle of leaves under said tubular crank for the looping thereof.

,8, The combination set forth in, cla m 7, a divider flap cont olled by said tying cord looping means for positioning draped bundled hands of tobacco on alternate sides of each said conveyor chain.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8, said tubular crank having a bevel gear mating with the toothed segments of said segmental gear and a shank having a flattened por ion whereby said tubular crank may be held in fixed position when said bevel gear is out of engagement with said toothed segments.

10, The combination set forth in claim 9, said tying cord looping means having connecting drive means for advancing said conveyor means a suitable amount during each looping cycle.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10, said conveyor means comprising a link chain having said spring pressed clips extending laterally therefrom and forming an integral part thereof.

12. In an automatic tobacco harvester, a tying cord looping mechanism comprising receiving and holding means for resiliently holding a bundle of tobacco leaves with their stems positioned up, a rotatably mounted channeled tying needle, means to rotate said needle around a leaf bundle the stems of which are positioned for tying and means operable on the positioning of a leaf bundle for tying to'initiate the tying operation, roe tate said needle and thereafter hold the tied bundle until a succeeding bundle is positioned to be tied; said receiving and holding means being movably mounted for movement away from said rotatably mounted needle to receive said bundles and movement toward said needle to position said upwardly positioned stems in tying position with respect to said needle.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12, bundle conveying means, comprising a plurality of spring pressed clips carried by said conveying means and constructed to position said bundle stems to be received by said receiving and holding means for movement to tying posi-' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,518,965 Whitley Aug. 15, 1950 2,538,698 McNeill Ian. 16, 1951 2,715,968 Davis et a1. Aug. 23, 1955 

